Benkenstein unhappy with South Africa's complacency

South Africa were "complacent" heading into this Sri Lanka series. This is not the opinion of reporters, fans, or commentators, but that of the team's own batting coach Dale Benkenstein, after he watched his team collapse to 128 all out on the second day in Port Elizabeth.

Right through the series, South Africa have been modest with the bat, recording a highest-score of 259 across four completed innings. No South Africa batsman has hit a hundred, and only Faf du Plessis, Aiden Markram and Quinton de Kock have managed half-centuries.

"We came in a little bit complacent," Benkenstain said. "We addressed that, but it's still very important to have the right attitude coming into a series. We say all the right things, but when you go in thinking we'll probably have enough to beat the Sri Lankan side, I think it's a dangerous place to be. We had two days in between series. It's a full-on summer so you don't have time to prepare. You can't change what is really inside you."

Benkenstein praised the Sri Lanka attack, whom he said had bowled with skill, and whom South Africa have repeatedly said they have been surprised by. But although Benkenstein thought some of South Africa's dismissals were the result of good opposition bowling, there were plenty that weren't he said.

"We have not been at our best - after a pretty disappointing first game as well - against a side that we did not know a lot about. There wasn't a lot of footage with which to analyse them. You have to give credit to the Sri Lankan bowlers. They've shown good skill, but we've given them soft wickets at crucial times. I keep thinking that it will be sorted out in the next innings.

"We've been pretty strong mentally, we came up against some very good bowling attacks and we scored enough runs to win those series. So I can't really put my finger on what's gone wrong now, but it's been a long, full-on summer and the guys are only human, there may be a slight lack of energy."

On what will almost certainly be the final day of the series, on Saturday, South Africa are now in a position where they must take eight wickets (possibly only seven, if the injured Lasith Embuldeniya does not bat). They haver 137 runs to defend.

"The game is still on the line and if we can have a good hour first thing tomorrow morning (Saturday) then we could make it hard for them to get the runs. There's a little bit still there in the pitch and we have good bowlers. Sri Lanka have fought hard and put us under pressure, but overall the cricket has not been good, especially the batting - from both teams."